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Dirt Rag Fresh Dirt
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3.5.2007
Swobo's New Bikes
By: Michael Browne
Swobo, the company known for its woolen wares, is introducing a line of bikes. They knew this would be no easy task, so they hired heavy hitter Sky Yaeger--the same woman responsible for bringing singlespeeds to the masses ten years ago with the Bianchi singlespeed line.
Roughly six months after her recruitment, Sky's given us a sneak preview and an exclusive interview about her latest creations: the Sanchez (700c fixed gear), Otis (26" 3-speed) and Folsom (26" coaster brake).
DR: What's your motivation here? These bikes don't look like anything I see on the market--more like the garage-built rigs I see in bike racks around town.
Sky: That's the point. I had to make these things 100% Swobo, and I wanted something radically different than what's on the market. I designed them from the ground up and spent a ton of time on them trying to make something that people would actually use. They have an urban feel to them, and they're supposed to appeal to people who don't like the elitist roadie look. They needed to be easy to build, easy to use, and able to get bashed around. We're only accepting 30 or 40 dealers, and the rest will be consumer-direct over the web.
DR: Tell me about the Sanchez.
Sky: This is the first time ever a chromoly frame has been galvanized--it's corrosion resistant steel, and it gives a really industrial look to the bike. It's a fixed gear, but it's based on road geometry for more neutral handling, and it will accept up to 28mm tires. Just like the other two bikes, everything you see was designed by us--the bars, the hubs, the saddle (there's a bottle opener underneath the rails). Five sizes: 50, 53, 55, 57 and 60cm and it will cost $599.
DR: What about the Otis?
Sky: This one is 26"-wheeled, but it has utility in mind for new riders. Gears are inherently difficult for new riders to understand, so I used SRAM's new iMotion 3-speed internal hub. It's so simple to use. It gets rack mounts and has a 71 degree head tube for easy traffic maneuverability. Matte black on 7005 aluminum. Puncture-resistant 1.5" tires. Three sizes, 16, 18 and 20" for $699.
DR: And then there's the Folsom.
Sky: Yeah. Two frame sizes with coaster brakes. What's awesome is that this is the first time Shimano has ever provided a bike company with a 135mm spaced coaster brake hub. We asked, they listened. I used the coaster brake so you can ride with one hand on the bar and still brake. Say you're coming home from the bar with a 12-pack... you can carry it and still slam on the brakes. It uses our BMX-style bars that rotate in the stem so you can get a better fit. Two sizes, 16 and 18" for $499. This is 100% Swobo.
(Ed note: For a closer look at the new Swobo bikes and related Swobo components, click on this Dirt Rag photo gallery.)
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